4.4 Inclusive programmes for young people
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Programmes specific for vulnerable young people
Several actions and programmes are taking place under the Asylum Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) Programme 2021-2027. The Fund aims to further strengthen national capacities and improve procedures for managing migration, as well as reinforce solidarity and responsibility sharing between Member States, in particular through emergency assistance and the resettlement mechanism. The responsible authority for the implementation and coordination of this Programme is the Ministry of Interior and the European Funds Unit.
Basically, the programme provides funds through an open call and thus State authorities, local public bodies, non-governmental organisations, international public organisations or private and public law companies can implement projects relevant with the aim of the programme. The projects of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund mainly aim to support the Common European Asylum System (CEAS), strengthen the accommodation capacity of asylum seekers, provide of all necessary services related to asylum procedures, facilitate the integration of third country nationals in the local community with the help of local authorities/NGO’s/ public bodies/other social partners, increase assisted voluntary returns, increase cooperation with other member states as well as support the administrative capacity of Cyprus to manage successfully all sectors related to migration. On one hand, the programme targets third country nationals in the local community (asylum seekers and immigrants) with an aim to achieve their integration in the society. On the other hand, the programme targets the local community, with an aim to raise awareness and facilitate the acceptance of the third-country nationals. There are not any data on youth participation in these programmes.
1. Common European Asylum System
2. Legal immigration and integration
3. Irregular migration and return/readmission;
4. Solidarity between the Member States
The projects that are eligible for funding under AIMF 2021-2027 are similar to those of AIMF 2014-2020, such as inclusion projects by local communities/NGOs and measures targeting vulnerable groups of people including unaccompanied minors.
Τhe Cyprus National Addictions Authority (Αρχή Αντιμετώπισης Εξαρτήσεων Κύπρου) is the coordinating body in the field of legal and illegal dependency substances and has been the evolution of the Anti-Drug Council since November 2017. In November 2020, the new National Addictions Strategy 2021-2028 (Eθνική Στρατηγική για την Αντιμετώπιση των Εξαρτήσεων) was presented to the public and the Action Plan for the period of 2021-2024 (Σχέδιο Δράσης 2021-2024) was designed. The main aim of the new Policy is to safeguard young people’s right to have access to prevention, therapy, and social support services. In addition, both documents focus on the provision of a) prevention policies, b) health-related services, and c) social support to young people and all citizens of the Republic of Cyprus. Lastly, both documents stress the need for young people to adopt healthy lifestyle, in order not to be excluded by the Cypriot society. There are more than 30 public and other actors involved in the proposed programmes of the Cyprus National Addictions Authority, such as ministries, the Cyprus Police, the Youth Board of Cyprus, associations, trade unions, and NGOs. Their role is to implement collectively the strategy. Also, the Cyprus National Addiction Authority has published a Guide on Social Reintegration Services (Οδηγός Υπηρεσιών Κοινωνικής Επανένταξης)
The Department for Social Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (Τμήμα Κοινωνικής Ενσωμάτωσης Ατόμων με Αναπηρίες) was established in 2009 and offers a variety of services and social benefits to people with disabilities. The department is under the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare (Υφυπουργείο Κοινωνικής Πρόνοιας). Each service offered to people with disabilities has different criteria, starting dates, target groups and services provided. The services offered are: 1. Severe Motor Disability Allowance Scheme, 2. Care Allowance Scheme for Quadriplegic Persons, 3. Care Allowance Scheme for Paraplegic Persons, 4. Special Allowance for Blind Persons, 5. Mobility Allowance, 6. Allowance to persons with disability for the provision of a car, 7. Scheme for the Provision of Financial Assistance for the Purchase of a Wheelchair, 8. Scheme for Wheelchair Loans to persons with motor Disability, 9. Disability Parking Card Scheme (Blue Badge), 10. Financial assistance scheme for the provision of technical means, instruments and other aids, 11. Scheme for the management/provision of technical means, instruments and other aids, 12. Financial Assistance for Organisations of Persons with Disabilities, 13. Financial Assistance to the Organisations of Persons with Disabilities for hiring Social Assistants for their members, 14. Assistance through the Welfare Lottery Fund. There are no other actors involved and the level and trends of participation of young people in these programmes are not available, although an annual report is drafted.
The “Actions for social and school inclusion (DR.A.S.E.)” (Δράσεις Σχολικής και Κοινωνικής Ένταξης- ΔΡΑ.Σ.Ε.) 2015-2023 run by the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth. The key actors involved are the schools which implement the programme. The programme refers to the implementation of actions aiming to support and strengthen public school pupils and at the same time to promote school and social inclusion. The project aims to support, expand and improve the outcomes of the project against “Early School Leaving, School Failure and Delinquency in Zones of Educational Priority". The main variation of the project "Activities of School and Social Inclusion" in relation to its predecessor is that the new project is not zone-based, i.e. school units will not be grouped into geographical clusters. Rather, individual school units and/or clusters of schools (kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools, and technical schools) are selected, regardless of the geographical area in which they are located. The project’s main objectives are the following:
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Support the Cypriot population living below the poverty line or being at risk of poverty and social exclusion;
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Ensure the welfare and support of the financially weaker groups of the population particularly affected by the economic crisis;
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Reduction of early school leaving;
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Improvement of learning outcomes;
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Reducing school failure and delinquency;
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Strengthening social cohesion by reducing the risk of social marginalization and exclusion.
DR.A.SE program develops innovative preventive actions, such as the creation of a space for the development of creative and entertaining activities, the creation of student clubs (dance, theater, journalism, music, painting, amateur radio, football, etc.), and the development of a program which includes educational, cultural and other activities on health education. According to the latest Annual Report of the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth for 2023 (p.59-68), during the school year 2022-23, the DRA.SE+ Program was implemented in 448 school units.
The Scheme for the Vocational Training of Persons with Disabilities (Σχέδιο Επαγγελματικής Κατάρτισης Ατόμων με Αναπηρίες) is offered by the Department for Social Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities which is the responsible authority for its implementation. The main purpose of the project is to broaden the opportunities for training and education of people with disabilities based on individual programs in training institutions or private or public-sector enterprises. Beneficiaries are persons with disabilities who may experience employment difficulties in their field, despite their level of education. The Scheme is addressed to people with disabilities of all ages. No specific targets for the level of youth participation have been established. In addition, the level and trends of participation in this scheme are not yet recorded by official statistics.
Funding
For the period 2021-2027, the resources that have been allocated to Cyprus by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund AMIF amount to €59 1 million.
The budget of the National Addictions Strategy 2021-2028 (Εθνική Στρατηγική για Αντιμετώπιση των Εξαρτήσεων 2021-2028) is not available, however there are some budget indications in the Action Plan 2021-2024 (Σχέδιο Δράσης 2021-2024).
The budget for the Department for Social Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities is not available, therefore it cannot be said if there is a specific budget allocated at the top level or if/how the EU funds are used. The actions of this department are in line with the Strategy for Social Policy 2022-2027 (Στρατηγική για την Κοινωνική Πολιτική 2022-2027).
The total budget for the DR.A.S.E programme until 2023 reaches 29 000 000 Euro and it is co-financed by the European Social Fund (85%) and the Republic of Cyprus (15%).
The exact total amount of funding and source of funding for the Scheme for the Vocational Training of Persons with Disabilities is not stated in the official documents.
Quality assurance
For the 2021-2027 Programme for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), a Monitoring Committee is set up and is responsible for the monitoring of the implementation of the National Programme. The Committee meets at regular intervals –at least once a year –in order to examine the progress of the programme. The main outcomes of the quality assurance process are not published.
Regarding the National Addictions Strategy 2021-2028, many indicators are set in order to check the implementation of the strategy, as well as several deliverables for each action. The Cyprus National Addictions Authority monitors the assessment of the strategy; however, there are currently no new Reports regarding the implementation of the Strategy or the first Action Plan 2021-2024.
The Department for Social Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities does not mention any quality assurance criteria set for the variety of services and social benefits provided to people with disabilities. However, the department releases an annual report.
No specific quality assurance criteria are mentioned for the ‘Actions for social and school inclusion (DR.A.S.E.)’.
There is not any information available if there is a mechanism that monitors the implementation of the Scheme for the Vocational Training of Persons with Disabilities.